Raise your voice NOW against caps in waiver services!
Today’s post is from Ethan Pickett, owner of Pure Abilities on behalf of Recreational Therapy companies throughout the state of Indiana. He has spearheaded an advocacy effort educating parents and clients about the upcoming waiver changes being proposed by FSSA. At the bottom are several downloads that you and your family can use to make your opinions heard against caps in waiver services.
Note from My Autism Ally - Although this post talks about Recreational Therapy, all of these same steps can be used to advocate against the caps in waiver services for Music Therapy and Behavior Management as well. If you have additional questions about the caps feel free to ask any of your service providers, your waiver case manager or contact us. Together we can make our voices heard!
Please note- the deadline for public comment concludes on August 8th. Only comments sent to the email and physical addresses immediately below have to be documented and considered.
DDRSWaiverNoticeComment@fssa.in.gov
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
DDRS Waiver Public Comment
402 W. Washington Street, Room W461
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Advocacy Cheat Sheet: Protect Access to Recreational Therapy
Q: What’s happening?
The Division of Disability & Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) advisory council has proposed a cap of 6 hours/month on Recreational Therapy under the Family Support Waiver (FSW) and Community Integration and Habitation Waiver (CIH). This decision:
• Decreases individual choice and autonomy
• Restricts consumer access to the community
• Reduces the frequency and duration of sessions
• Limits access to life-changing services
• Undermines the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule
• Treats vital therapeutic services as nonessential
Q: Why does it matter?
Recreational Therapy is not a luxury—it is a clinically driven, goal-based service that supports:
• Physical and emotional wellness
• Social connection and skill development
• Daily structure, purpose, and independence
• Prevention of crisis or more intensive services
Without adequate access to this service, many individuals with disabilities will lose critical support that helps them thrive.
Q: What can I do?
Step 1: Contact Decision-Makers. Urge Indiana’s leadership to stop these harmful cuts. Speak up to protect individualized, meaningful services.
Contact Info:
DDRS Public Comment
DDRSWaiverNoticeComment@fssa.in.gov
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Waiver Public Comment
402 W. Washington Street, Room W461
Indianapolis, IN 46204
FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob
317-234-8725
402 West Washington Street, Room W461, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Holly Wimsatt, Director of Bureau of Disability Services (BDS)
317-234-4736 | (812) 283-1040
8085 Knue Rd, Suite #200, Indianapolis, IN 46250
Step 2: Share Your Voice. Your story is powerful. Policy makers need to hear from the people directly impacted by these changes.
Why Your Voice Matters:
• State leaders often don’t see the real-life impact of their decisions unless individuals and
families speak up.
• Personal stories humanize the issue more than statistics ever could.
• Every email, phone call, and letter helps build a case to reverse harmful decisions.
Ways to Share Your Story:
1. Write an Email or Letter Use the sample message available at the end of this post, or better yet, write about your personal experience. You could include:
How Recreational Therapy has helped you or your loved one
What will be lost or disrupted if hours are cut
Why choice and individualization matter to you
2. Make a Phone Call
A call can be short but impactful. Try something like: “Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I’m calling to express my concern about the proposed 6-hour cap on Recreational Therapy. This service is essential to my/my loved one’s health, independence, and ability to participate in the community. Please protect access to this service and stop these changes.”
3. Testify or Submit Public Comment (when available)
Watch for opportunities to speak at public forums or provide written feedback. We can help guide you through that process.
4. Use Social Media
Post about your concerns using hashtags like:
#ProtectRecTherapy
#DisabilityRightsIN
Tag local lawmakers or agencies and briefly share your story.
Step 3: Spread the Word
• Share this cheat sheet with others
• Post online using #ProtectRecTherapy and #DisabilityRightsIN
• Encourage your community to call or email as well
